Denver Green Roof Initiative
Donation protected
The Denver Green Roof Initiative is seeking to be included on the ballot for November 2017. To do so, they will have to collect nearly 10,000 signatures from registered voters and residents of the City of Denver.
The Denver Green Roof Initiative proposes that the voters of the City and County of Denver adopt a measure that mandates every building, building addition, and any roof replacement of a buiding with a gross floor area of 25,000 square feet or great, constructed after Jan 1, 2018 shall include a green roof or combination of green roof and solar enegry collection.
Donations will go to:
1. Hiring Petitioners
2. The rental of community spaces for meetings
3. The printing of formal documents
4. The printing of informational handbills (on eco-friendly, recycled material) to educate and engage the Denver community in joining this environmental movement
Visit www.DenverGreenRoof.org to get involved and learn more!
Denver Green Roof Mission:
All growing cities have areas for concern. Our mission is to solve Denver’s growing problems with one simple solution, Green Roofs.
Denver currently ranks third highest city in the United States for Urban Heat Island-- falling only behind Las Vegas and Albuquerque. Urban Heat Islands absorb warmth from the sun and raise a city’s temperature much higher than surrounding areas, making Denver nearly 5 degrees hotter.
By adding green space at roof level, plants and growing media are absorbing the suns rays, helping to keep the building cool through a process called evapotranspiration. A Green Roof can reduce heat-flow through the roof by 70% to 90% in the summer and 10% to 30% in the winter. (National Research Council of Canada) Lowering the city’s Urban Heat Island affect would promote cooler days and less energy consumption throughout every building in Denver.
Another side affect from all the concrete, is storm-water drainage issues. In Denver, where intense heavy storms come out of nowhere, it is very important to have proper storm-water drainage. This is an ever increasing problem as the city continues to grow. These intense storms drop so much rain that the drains can’t handle it all and the streets become flooded. This polluted storm water runoff overflows into our lands, streams and rivers. Green roofs counter this problem as well. In fact, Green Roofs retain and release storm-water so well that they were named Best Management Practice for infiltrating and detaining runoff by the Urban Drainage and Flood Control District.
One of Denver’s sustainablitiy goals for 2020 is to grow/produce 20% of food in Denver. Green Roofs can help contribute to that goal. Buildings are permitted to use the rooftop space for urban agriculture. This allows for the building to rent out their rooftop space to urban farmers who can then supply their goods around the city. Another sustainability goal is to attain all national air quality standards. Green space at roof level help filter air and traps dust and other particles much better than a traditional roof.
These are just a few of the many benefits of Green Roofs. Vegetated roof space promotes a rich biodiversity for insects and birds. Green Roofs have also been linked to improved performance and accuracy in the work place and provide additional space for breaks and recreation. The life span of a Green Roof is 2 to 3 times longer than a traditional black roof. The list goes on and on.
If there are so many benefits to Green Roofs, why aren’t they everywhere? The simple answer is cost. Green Roofs cost, on average, $15 more per sqft than a traditional black roof. Even though the extra cost would be offset in as soon as 6 years, builders choose not to incorporate them because they build the building then sell it. They don’t see those energy and storm-water savings. They don’t save the money from roof longevity. Yet they are still able to sell the building for more money with these improvements! We believe that the builders of Denver could be doing so much more to negate the huge footprint in our beautiful state. We believe Green Roofs are the answer.
The Denver Green Roof Initiative proposes that the voters of the City and County of Denver adopt a measure that mandates every building, building addition, and any roof replacement of a buiding with a gross floor area of 25,000 square feet or great, constructed after Jan 1, 2018 shall include a green roof or combination of green roof and solar enegry collection.
Donations will go to:
1. Hiring Petitioners
2. The rental of community spaces for meetings
3. The printing of formal documents
4. The printing of informational handbills (on eco-friendly, recycled material) to educate and engage the Denver community in joining this environmental movement
Visit www.DenverGreenRoof.org to get involved and learn more!
Denver Green Roof Mission:
All growing cities have areas for concern. Our mission is to solve Denver’s growing problems with one simple solution, Green Roofs.
Denver currently ranks third highest city in the United States for Urban Heat Island-- falling only behind Las Vegas and Albuquerque. Urban Heat Islands absorb warmth from the sun and raise a city’s temperature much higher than surrounding areas, making Denver nearly 5 degrees hotter.
By adding green space at roof level, plants and growing media are absorbing the suns rays, helping to keep the building cool through a process called evapotranspiration. A Green Roof can reduce heat-flow through the roof by 70% to 90% in the summer and 10% to 30% in the winter. (National Research Council of Canada) Lowering the city’s Urban Heat Island affect would promote cooler days and less energy consumption throughout every building in Denver.
Another side affect from all the concrete, is storm-water drainage issues. In Denver, where intense heavy storms come out of nowhere, it is very important to have proper storm-water drainage. This is an ever increasing problem as the city continues to grow. These intense storms drop so much rain that the drains can’t handle it all and the streets become flooded. This polluted storm water runoff overflows into our lands, streams and rivers. Green roofs counter this problem as well. In fact, Green Roofs retain and release storm-water so well that they were named Best Management Practice for infiltrating and detaining runoff by the Urban Drainage and Flood Control District.
One of Denver’s sustainablitiy goals for 2020 is to grow/produce 20% of food in Denver. Green Roofs can help contribute to that goal. Buildings are permitted to use the rooftop space for urban agriculture. This allows for the building to rent out their rooftop space to urban farmers who can then supply their goods around the city. Another sustainability goal is to attain all national air quality standards. Green space at roof level help filter air and traps dust and other particles much better than a traditional roof.
These are just a few of the many benefits of Green Roofs. Vegetated roof space promotes a rich biodiversity for insects and birds. Green Roofs have also been linked to improved performance and accuracy in the work place and provide additional space for breaks and recreation. The life span of a Green Roof is 2 to 3 times longer than a traditional black roof. The list goes on and on.
If there are so many benefits to Green Roofs, why aren’t they everywhere? The simple answer is cost. Green Roofs cost, on average, $15 more per sqft than a traditional black roof. Even though the extra cost would be offset in as soon as 6 years, builders choose not to incorporate them because they build the building then sell it. They don’t see those energy and storm-water savings. They don’t save the money from roof longevity. Yet they are still able to sell the building for more money with these improvements! We believe that the builders of Denver could be doing so much more to negate the huge footprint in our beautiful state. We believe Green Roofs are the answer.
Organizer and beneficiary
Mo Hnatiuk
Organizer
Denver, CO
Katharine Robbins
Beneficiary